Torwoodlee Golf Club member Jack McDonald was selected to play in the Scottish Pro-Am, which took place at Gullane yesterday.

The 13-year-old Galashiels Academy pupil travelled up to Edinburgh Castle on Tuesday night to be introduced to the other players taking part in the open tournament.

Jack was also due to meet with Nicola Sturgeon before playing with Alex Salmond and a Tour Pro yesterday.

His father Scott has been taking Jack to junior coaching for the whole of the winter and he was selected for the dedication he has shown and also the improvement in his game.

Berwickshire group Riding for the Disabled Association (RDA) have finished their season and are all set for a well-earned summer rest.

Over the past year group riders and vaulters have been involved in nativity plays, vaulting competitions, the Borders Inter Group Quiz, regional arts and crafts, endurance riding, and three musical riders have qualified for the 
national championships.

The new Endeavour Award has let most of the riders and vaulters achieve a certificate for their hard work and some have taken RDA grade tests.

Berwickshire group chairperson Margaret Morgan said: “This could not happen without the help of the group’s wonderful volunteers who give up time each week to let everyone achieve and attend training days so they keep up to date.”

Anthea Drysdale, Sharon Baker and Lyn Warholm have been presented with 15-year long service certificates and Jenny Thumwood, Pat Roe and Shelagh Forbes their volunteer certificates.

“The group of course could not operate without the help of our horses and ponies and they all work hard to let riders and vaulters have fun each week,” added Mrs Morgan.

“Sadly, we lost three good friends, Charlie Brown, Toby and Mambys Murphy, who all left big shoes to fill. Housten has joined Bart Simpson, Royal Dalton, Baloo and Caffrys to keep up the good work.”

Horses too are rewarded for long service and Bart Simpson, who has helped for five years, and Caffrys, for 15, received RDA long service medals.

“We could not continue without the help of all our wonderful fundraisers and volunteers,” Mrs Morgan added. “Riders and vaulters have excelled themselves in the last year, and the group would like to thank everyone who has been a sponsor, donated to the group or provided help in any way. Your input is much appreciated.”

At the end of term competitions trophies were awarded to the following:

Monday: The Borthwick Trophy – Cammy Sinclair

Tuesday: The Snoopy Trophy – Thomas McGregor. Evening: The Andy Millar Quaich – Carrie Tait

Wednesday: The Domino Trophy – Lauren Hunter

Thursday: The Tony Trophy – Erikas Rudokas

Group’s Favourite Horse: The Nisbet Trophy – Royal Dalton

Volunteer of the Year: Tully Trophy – Jamie Bromley

Citizenship: The Poppy Drysdale Trophy– Anthea Drysdale

Riding and vaulting will restart in the first week of September.

Steven Nicol has been re-elected to lead the Langholm rugby side into action for another season, but after relegation it will be in East League division two.

Alasdair Cavers has been named as vice-captain while Gary Brannan remains coach and the club would welcome someone to assist either in the coaching or as team manager.

The annual general meeting of the Milntown club took place in the Eskdale Hotel last Friday evening and after welcoming everyone president Michael Bell handed over to chairman Kenneth Pool.

Youth rugby will be developed mainly through the school next season with the help of the Milntown club. Former Scotland player and National coach George Graham, who is at present in charge at Gala, will be giving after school coaching.

The chairman thanked all the various officials, coaches, committee and helpers who had been involved with the club last season and Edinburgh Woollen Mill for sponsoring the sevens.

On the playing front it had been difficult with lack of numbers and points were lost with fixtures not fulfilled on the set date. With only one win and points deducted Langholm were relegated.

Michael Bell remains as president and his daughter Catriona is again secretary along with Michelle Grieve as treasurer. John Ritchie has retired from the committee but will remain assistant treasurer with Kenneth Donaldson. A vice-president has still to be confirmed, but Alison Nicol has joined the committee.

A new management committee has been formed and will include the president, vice-president, secretary and treasurer. Fixture secretary, Stuart Mabon; property management, Chris Tait; fund raising, Craig Hislop; youth rugby, Davy Gordon; membership secretary, Katrina Mabon; bar co-ordinators, Ann Warwick and Laura Jeffrey; Sevens convener, Kenneth Pool; referees secretary, Ross Mabon. Jake Little and Ally Ratcliffe will also give a helping hand.

Super League giants Wigan Warriors are coming to Galashiels and they want Borders youngsters to come and join them.

The legendary rugby league club are putting on a two-day junior training camp at Netherdale on July 30 and 31 for S1-S4 rugby players, with Scotland Rugby League head coach Steve McCormack, who is on the coaching staff at Wigan, delivering some of the sessions.

Last year Scotland brought international Rugby League to the Borders for the first time when they played France in the European Championship, an event widely considered a great success by organisers.

McCormack, who led Scotland to a first-ever European crown last season following their historic quarter-final appearance at the 2013 World Cup, will join his Wigan Warriors colleagues in putting on a coaching masterclass on Thursday July 30 at Netherdale at 6.30pm for any local coaches who want to learn from the 13-man code’s leading practitioners.

For both events, Wigan Warriors, Scotland RL and Gala RFC welcome players and coaches from both codes, including rugby union players who wish to work on particular skills that come to the fore in league, or to learn a new code, and coaches who would like to broaden their rugby knowledge and experiences.

To book a place in the training camp visit wiganwarriors.com or call 08716 633 552 and for more information on the coaching masterclass call Doug Folan of Scotland RL on 07782 110 497.

There were mixed fortunes for Border athletes Chris O’Hare and Guy Learmonth at the British Open Championships in Birmingham last week.

West Linton’s O’Hare failed to retain his 1,500m crown on his return from injury, but emerged with the silver medal, after a scrappy final, in a time of 3.51.03.

The 24-year-old now has to beat the qualification time of 3.36.20 in the next two weeks to ensure himself a place at the World Championships in Beijing next month.

“It was good – I think I’d describe it as good enough,” said O’Hare. “The job was just to compete well and get in the top two placings.

“Part one of world champs qualification is taken care of – now to run fast.”

Following his fourth place in the final of the 800m, it’s back to the drawing board for Berwick’s Guy Learmonth.

The 23-year-old, who had also suffered niggling injuries in the run-up to the event, made smooth progress through the heats to make Sunday’s final, but despite being in the mix for the first half of the race, he got boxed in on the final bend and faded out of contention as Kyle Langford sprinted clear for victory.

Bowden

Fete

Bowden church fete will be held on August 15.

Cafe

The next community cafe will be held on July 15 in the village hall from 11am-noon.

CADDONFOOT

Church

The churches of Trinity in Galashiels and Caddonfoot came together for a joint service on Sunday to hear Amy Ward, from Selkirk, speak – illustrated with a video – about her ministry work with boy and girl prisoners in Guatemala. The service was planned by Amy herself. Amy was thanked for the talk by minister Elspeth Harley. Shelagh Martin read a section from the Bible while James Macfarlane, from Caddonfoot, led the Prayer of Approach. Music was played by Dorothy Howden. Next week’s services at Caddonfoot and Trinity will hear Margaret Blyth speak about her visit to Malawi.

CANONBIE

Clean-up

The residents’ association held a clean-up around the village, and a group of volunteers turned up at the church vestry where they were issued with hi-vis vests and gloves, litter picks and bin bags.

School fete

Wet weather forced the removal of stalls at the annual school fete from outdoors to inside. However, there was still excellent public support and £1,125 was raised. It was dry by the time the fete got under way and depute head Leona Wallace introduced Lesley Hall, who had worked in the school office for the past 25 years. Lesley officially opened the event, and thanked people for the many gifts she had received.

Cogsmill

SWI

Members were tempted by Mrs Howieson’s baking display at their latest meeting. The cakes tasted as good as they looked and recipes were provided. There will be cream teas at the hall on July 12 (2-4pm).

EARLSTON

Parish church

The July 12 service at 10.15am will be conducted by the Reverend Julie Woods.

AGM

Earlston Community Development Trust AGM will be held in the church hall on July 27 at 7.30pm.

Hawick

Bridge club

June 30 – N/S – 1, John and Marian Miller; 2, Valerie Johnstone and Richard Von Slicher; E/W – 1, Ken Auckland and Dave King; 2, Valerie MacPherson and Bob Francombe.

Rotary

President Mairhi Trickett welcomed members to last Thursday’s meeting to hear a talk from artist Emma Jolly. Emma was trained at Dundee University after attending Hawick High School. She was awarded the Peacock Visual Arts Award for the Moving Image at the Royal Scottish Academy in March 2014. Emma works in many media such as pen, pencil, charcoal, oils and photography, and specialises in portraits of pets, animals and people. She showed members a selection of her portraits of animals. Emma has four exhibits in the local art club exhibition in the Scott Gallery.

Hownam

Coffee morning

The kirk coffee morning was delayed due to a tree falling across the road at Sharplaw, bringing down telephone pole and wires. Despite the hold-up, £457 was raised.

Innerleithen

Service

The Games Week Service will be at 11.30am on July 12.

Jedburgh

Bridge club

June 29 – 1, A. Stewart and R. Stewart; 2, V. Johnstone and M. Miller; 3, J. Bridger and G. Eglinton.

kelso

Farmers’ market

A farmers’ market will be held in The Square on July 11 (9.30am-1.30pm).

Bridge club

July 1 – aggregate pairs – N/S – 1, Val Johnstone and Mary Millar; 2, Alex Jeffrey and Lee Leeson; 3, John Urquhart and Miles Browne; E/W – 1, Dominic and Diana Alkin; 2, Annie Mitchell and Bob Stevenson 3, Maureen Weightman and Helen Long. July 2 – aggregate pairs – 1, Shirley Armstrong and Moira Ayton; 2, Michael Horwood and Alison Ireland; 3, Ian Watson and Georgina Hall; 4, David Harris-Burland and Sheila Urquhart; 5, Janet Kyle and John Urquhart; 6, Alison Darling and Mary Logan.

Museum friends

An exhibition on Kelso’s First World War, curated by the Friends of Kelso Museum, will be open during Civic Week (July 13-18) in the Ednam Rooms of Ednam House Hotel (entrance from Havannah Court) – Monday-Friday, 10am-4pm; Saturday, 10am-6pm; late night opening on the Wednesday, 6-9pm. As well as the war itself, the exhibition covers how it affected life back home.

Balloon race

On the last day of term, Edenside Primary School, Kelso, held a Red Balloon Race in the neighbouring playing field. The children (and grown-ups) were very excited and couldn’t wait to release their tagged balloons. How far will they travel? Only time will tell. All the balloons and tags used were biodegradable and recycled, so as to ensure no harm comes to the environment.

Langholm

Church fete

After a rather wet morning, it dried out into a fine sunny afternoon for the Langholm, Eskdalemuir, Westerkirk and Ewes church fete in the parish church grounds – £2,535 was raised. The majority of the stalls and games were held outside, and “Baptise the Minister” saw the Reverend Scott McCarthy get soaked with wet sponges. There was a barbecue in the grounds and cream teas were served in the church. Music was provided by the town and pipe bands. Duck race winner was Kathleen Coates, with the Day Centre bagging second prize and Ryan Johnstone coming third.

melrose

Prostate cancer

Scottish Borders Prostate Cancer Support Group’s latest meeting was held at the Macmillan Centre, Borders General Hospital. Speakers were Tom Wood and Alison Hore of Relationship Scotland (Borders branch). They gave an insight into how their organisation worked and how they counselled either individuals or couples on all aspects of life. This was followed by a question-and-answer session. There is no meeting in August – the next one is at the same venue on September 2 at 7pm.

Parish church

July 12 services – Bowden (9.30am), Melrose (11am).

Trimontium

With the arrival of July, and August on its heels, the Trimontium walks jump from one per week (Thursday) to three (Tuesday and Thursday at 1.30pm, and the short 2pm outing on Sunday afternoons from the Newstead Milestone – details from the museum leaflet or phone 01896 822651).

Brian Stobbs, of Whitley Bay, who made for the trust, from the originals, the replica brass sports helmet and the replica horse chamfron (horse face harness with leather, Medusa head and countless brass studs) has died.

Garden party

Melrose in Bloom’s annual summer garden party will be held on Sunday, July 26, at Tweedsyde, Tweedmount Road, from 2.30- 4.30pm. Music will accompany the champagne afternoon tea. Tickets are available from Melrose in Bloom members or by phoning 01896 822024.

Glitz and Glam

A Glitz and Glam night will be held at Melrose Rugby Club on Saturday, July 25, from 7.30pm to raise funds for six Borders General Hospital maternity unit staff members – Dr Magowan, Kerrie Blake, Lorraine Wilson, Margaret Davison, Morag Beavon and Dr Murray – who are volunteering to travel to Zambia in October to provide training and other help to their counterparts in the African nation. Tickets for the event are available by phoning 07463 737165 or 07753 269925.

morebattle

Marathon

Graeme Lang completed the Edinburgh Marathon in 4 hours, 25 minutes, realising £1,733.90 for the Brain Tumour Charity.

Fishing

Caverton Mill fishing competition – 1, Drew Gibson; 2, Jeannie McNulty; 3, Jim McNulty; heavy 3, Jeannie McNulty; heavy trout, I. Borthwick; heavy 6, Drew Gibson.

Games Queen

The Games Queen is chosen annually by Morebattle Primary School and this year’s incumbent is Kym Cessford who will be sashed at a church service on July 26. Games Festival Week begins on August 1.

MSP’s surgery

John Lamont MSP will hold a summer surgery in Morebattle Institute on July 21 (3.30-4pm).

Queen’s Garden Party

Morebattle and district was well represented at the Queen’s Garden Party at Holyroodhouse last Wednesday when Mr and Mrs G. Aitchison, Mr and Mrs R. Dick, Mr and Mrs J. Mabon and Mr and Mrs D. Warren attended.

Newcastleton

Coffee morning

There was good support for the Liddesdale Ladies’ Amenities Group coffee morning 
in the village hall. The sum of £637 was realised for the 
Nepal earthquake disaster appeal.

oxnam

Gallipoli service

Oxnam Kirk is holding a special service at 10.30am on July 19 to remember five soldiers who lost their lives at Gallipoli during the First World War. The service will ask how the war affected the valley,

Turn to page 38

From page 37

sharing memories, and learning how the young men coped at the front, as part of an ongoing four-year project to mark the war’s 100th anniversary. Inside Oxnam Kirk there are 22 wooden crosses – one each for the men from Oxnam valley who died during the 1914-18 conflict and who are remembered on the memorial plaque near the entrance door to the kirk. Everyone is welcome to attend the service and bring along treasured family items from this time, such as letters, medals and mementoes. Anyone who has information about those named on the plaque should contact the session clerk either by phoning 01835 850394 or emailing colin.hogg25@btconnect.com, or speak to any church elder.

Walkerburn

Service

The next service in Walkerburn Public Hall will be on July 19 at 10.30am.

yetholm

Gardens

Village gardens are open to the public on July 12 (2-5.30pm), with cream teas in the Youth Hall.

Church

Sunday services for the rest of this month will be in Morebattle Church only at 11.15am.

A drunken man, said to have an “appalling record for violence”, was jailed for eight months at Selkirk Sheriff Court on Monday.

Forty-nine-year-old John Davidson, of Scott Street, Galashiels, appeared from custody and admitted assaulting a man by repeatedly punching him to the head to his injury at a house at Langlee Road, Galashiels, on July 4.

Procurator fiscal Graham Fraser said Davidson had a lengthy list of previous convictions and 10 weeks of outstanding custodial sentence.

He said the victim of the assault was the current partner of the accused’s ex-wife’s daughter.

The 35-year-old had been with his girlfriend at the house, visiting her mother, at around 3pm last Friday. Davidson, who remains friends with his former wife, was also at the house.

“Drink had been taken,” explained Mr Fraser.

In the early hours of the morning, around 2am, the victim came out of the toilet to be confronted by the accused in the hallway.

Davidson told the man: “You can go home to your own address now.”

The man said he wasn’t going to leave his girlfriend behind, but the accused punched him and continued to punch him while he was on the floor.

Mr Fraser said the two women had to intervene and they all then went into the livingroom and sat down.

“A neighbour was disturbed by the noise and the police were called,” continued Mr Fraser.

The victim was taken to Borders General Hospital, suffering from two black eyes, swelling to his cheek and to his nose, but was found to have no fractures.

Iain Burke, defending, said his client often drank with his former wife.

The solicitor said Davidson claimed the man had been belligerent throughout the evening, and by the early hours of the morning the accused “had had enough of him, and confronted him in the hallway and told him to go home”.

Mr Burke added: “He refutes that he punched him 10 times, although it was more than once.”

Sheriff Peter Paterson sentenced Davidson to eight months’ imprisonment.

“You have an appalling record for violence, and seem quite unable to control yourself,” the sheriff told the accused, whose former wife was sitting in the public gallery of the courtroom.

A Selkirk woman dragged a two-year-old along the ground while shouting and swearing at her, Falkirk Sheriff Court heard last week.

Jodie Mitchell, 26, admitted behaving in a threatening and abusive manner towards the child at the town’s Central Retail Park earlier this year.

Mitchell, who lives at 
Laurieston Gardens, was originally alleged to have assaulted the child.

But instead she pleaded guilty to an alternative charge that on February 6 she “behaved in a threatening or abusive manner which was likely to cause a reasonable person to suffer fear or alarm”.

She admitted that she did drag the child “along the ground, shout and swear at her, and behave in an aggressive manner towards her”.

Sheriff Craig Caldwell deferred sentencing Mitchell until July 30 in order to obtain a report.

He said: “I think, in the circumstances, I am going to call for a background report.”

It has been only two months, give or take a day or two, since Selkirk RFC players and their hard working back room team last graced the field of play.

But this week boots, tracksuits, clipboards and ties were dusted down once more as the club began their preparation for life in the Premiership.

Not that everyone has been enjoying a summer break.

For coaches Peter Wright and Cameron Cochrane building a playing squad worthy of the clubs newly elevated status has been top priority and, as training started this week, several new faces have appeared at Philiphaugh.

“We lost quite a few players at the end of last season due to guys returning to where they came from, retirements and folk just moving on,” said Cochrane.

“So it was essential that we looked at bringing new guys in straight away.

“Most of the other Premiership clubs have squads of 40+ to select from and we had nowhere like that so Peter, myself and members of the committee have been working hard during the summer break to boost our playing numbers.”

Training for the squad began on Tuesday night and six new faces have already been introduced, four from outwith Selkirk.

Cameron Ring, 21, is a product of Bedford Rugby Academy and will bring some rugby league skills to the park while 24-year-old Dave Allan, from Blairgowrie, is looking to hone his skills at a higher level. Both are utility backs.

French front row man Fabian Tetrat, 22, has been sent across the Channel by former Selkirk No 8 Scott Jeffrey after expressing a desire to spread his wings. He will be joined in the pack by back row forward Max Gordon, 22, who comes from slightly closer to home, Kelso to be precise.

Making up the incoming sextet are former Youth Club players Fraser Anderson, a flying winger if ever their was one, and prolific points scoring full back Alan Rutter. Both are making the step up to senior rugby this term and Cochrane hopes that more of their ex Youth Club colleagues will follow.

“Our aim is to try and maintain all three teams at Selkirk for next season, even if it means that the Stormers (3rds) are only playing once a month.

“As a club we need to strengthen overall if we are to hold our own amongst the top tier of Scottish club rugby.

“We had 26 players at training this week which is good for this time of year as many are still on holiday or fulfilling other summer commitments.

“We are still speaking to others and are confident that we will get to where we want to be in time for our opening game against Peebles (Border League) on August 8.”

The coaching team at Philiphaugh has also been given a boost with Fraser Jack stepping up to help with the backs coaching. Graham Marshall, Brian Cassidy, Neil Darling and Scott Hendrie will be looking after the seconds.

Hawick’s PBM Kawasaki team rider Stuart Easton moved up to third place in the 2015 British Superbike Championships last weekend following a solid ride on home tarmac.

Racing at Knockhill, the 32-year-old gave team-mate and Championship leader Shane Byrne a run for his money in both races, giving home supporters plenty to cheer about in the process.

Easton was the second quickest rider after Friday’s free practice sessions, three tenths off the pace of Byrne. The reigning champ lapped under the existing circuit record, and even though Easton was putting down consistently quick times, he still couldn’t find that added pace to edge ahead.

“It was a good day overall for us and it’s nice to have PBM one-two overall at the end of the day,” said Easton after the practice sessions.

“I would have liked to be three tenths closer to Shakey (Bryne) instead of having the other guys all so close to me, but it was still a good day and he is the one we need to catch.”

Long delays on Saturday, due to rain-damaged track, failed to deter the Hawick rider as he claimed second place in the qualifier, earning him a front row position behind Byrne on the grid on Sunday.

Easton made a great start in race one, taking the lead from Byrne and a high-speed tussle ensued between the two PBM riders, along with Josh Brookes and Michael Laverty. The Hawick rider originally finished in third, behind Tyco BMW’s Laverty. But the Northern Irishman was penalised after overtaking on a yellow flag, which pushed the Easton up to second.

In a repeat of the opener Easton was at the sharp end in race two, but again was out-paced by his team-mate who did the double at the Scottish track. Easton crossed the finishing line in second, and was so close to bagging his debut win at Knockhill losing out by 0.4 of a second.

“I still haven’t managed a win at Knockhill after all these years,” he said, “but I’m pleased, even though I was a bit disappointed with the result in the first race as I felt settled sitting behind Shakey and was strong in the last sector.

“Then Michael Laverty came under me and there was a bit of contact, so I lost the tow, I got beat up a bit, but at least I got a podium.

“The second race was a lot better and it’s more points and podium credits, so thanks to the team and well done to everyone at Knockhill for doing a great job.”

The next round is at Brands Hatch in two weeks.

A home round at Knockhill in Fife was the latest circuit for Lauder’s Kershaw Racing/Express Tyres/Blinkbonney Quarry Formula One sidecar team.

Stephen Kershaw and his passenger Rob Wilson continued their British Championship quest and were looking for good results to consolidate their third-place position, the highest the Lauder duo have ever been.

Technical problems at the start of the qualifying session on Friday caused the team to pull over after a few laps. This was repaired and they got faster and faster as the session went on, eventually qualifying in fourth place, only 0.14 off pole position which was taken by second-placed Andy Peach and Charlie Richardson. The top 12 were only separated by three seconds.

Saturday’s race one was delayed due to the torrential rain which caused some track damage. In sunny conditions and with a dry repair track, the pair had a great start and were in third place when their Kawasaki engine developed a miss fire. Nursing the sidecar home, they still finished in fourth.

Sunday’s lunchtime race was a major disappointment for the pair. Getting to the start line, the engine developed a fuel problem resulting in Stephen and Rob starting at the back of the grid.

Trying to nurse the machine home to gain valuable Championship points, the problem became worse and they had to retire.

Speaking in the paddock area, Stephen admitted that he was bitterly disappointed after all the hard work the team had put in.

“If we could have had a warm-up session this morning we would have found the fault,” he added.

“We were definitely on the pace before the mechanical problem and nearly had our first pole position.”

The pair are now in fourth spot in the championship and hope to climb back up at Brands Hatch in two weeks’ time.

The MSA British Rally Championship returns in 2016 with an exciting new-look calendar to go with the revised vehicle eligibility regulations that were announced in January.

And it’s good news for the Jim Clark Rally which has been included as a tarmac event for May 27 and 28.

In what’s set to be the biggest shake-up for many years, next season’s revitalised BRC will be staged throughout the British Isles and will include a mix of gravel and asphalt surfaces.

Starting in March and concluding in September, the new championship will comprise seven events, of which four are retained from previous years, while three are new or returning rounds.

The campaign opens with the Mid Wales Stages, while a visit to Belfast after Easter allows crew to test themselves on the UK’s second biggest stage rally, the Circuit of Ireland, before returning to Carlisle for the first of four long-standing BRC events, the Pirelli Rally.

Having tackled Kielder over the bank holiday weekend, the BRC crews will take on the Borders’ asphalt for the Jim Clark Rally at the end of May. The Scottish Rally occupies its traditional date at the end of June, before an eight-week gap to the championship’s second visit to Northern Ireland for the Ulster Rally in August. The season will conclude with a journey north for the end-of-year celebrations at the Granite City Rally in Aberdeen.

The inclusion of a made-for-TV one-day special event remains a possibility for 2016, subject to discussions with broadcast partners and securing a suitable venue/date.

Motorists caught driving at just over the speed limit are to be targeted in a new police crackdown.

Police Scotland has secured legal powers to issue formal warnings to drivers who are clocked at just a few mph over the limit.

Chief Superintendent Iain Murray said: “You will get a warning that you are committing an offence.

“If you then go away and do it again, I don’t think many people would have sympathy if you got a fine.”

Traditionally, those drivers would not face any action because police only ticket speeders who are 10 per cent plus 2mph above the formal speed limit.

The police warnings are part of a drive by Chief Constable Steven House to make road deaths a top three priority for the force along with violence and anti-social behaviour.

Traffic officers will start to issue the warnings - which will not result in a conviction, fine or penalty points - later this year under a six-month pilot scheme with a clear focus on accident blackspots.

Senior officers believe that the early use of formal warnings for drivers who are driving at just over the legal limit could be more effective than existing informal warnings.

Although traffic officers will still have discretion to adopt the disposal they see as most fitting, a driver who already has a formal warning on his record would be more likely to be fined than one who did not.

Chief Superintendent Iain Murray, head of road policing at Police Scotland, said: “We have an agreement to run a pilot of adult formal warnings, which starts in the autumn. You will get a warning that you are committing an offence.”

Entries for the 2015 Alastair Watson Memorial Award are being sought.

The trophy, for a photograph by a primary school pupil, was launched in Alastair’s memory last year by colleagues of the Borders photographer, who died in 2013.

Alastair, who was 60 and lived in Coldstream, worked for the Tweeddale Press Group, publishers of The Southern Reporter and Berwickshire News, for almost four decades. He was head of the Tweeddale Press Group branch of the National Union of Journalists at the time of his death from cancer.

Covering Borders common ridings and festivals was a major part of his work and colleagues felt this topic should be the subject of the award, which is aimed at recognising the work of young photographers.

It is open to anyone who was at primary school at the end of summer term this year and who lives in the Borders.

Entries (one photograph per entrant), including caption, should be of a 2015 common riding or festival activity and emailed, in Jpeg format, to watsonaward@jpress.co.uk no later than September 1. The entrant’s name, full address, contact telephone number and date of birth must also be submitted.

Entries will be judged by a panel of Borders-based National Union of Journalists members and Alastair’s wife, Meg. As well as the award trophy to keep for a year, there will be a £50 cash prize for the winner.

Police found heroin worth about £1,000 at a house in Galashiels.

Stewart McCudden, 47, of Gala Park, admitted being concerned in the supply of heroin at Gala Park Gardens on April 15.

Sentence was deferred until August 3 for reports.

Patient equipment was “visibly contaminated with blood, dust and removable marks” during an operating theatre inspection at Borders General Hospital, pictured.

That was one of several health hazards discovered during an unannounced visit by health inspectors.

The Health Environment Inspectorate (HMI), which monitors cleanliness and hygiene to minimise the risk of infection in Scotland’s hospitals, has made seven “requirements” of NHS Borders in its report.

These include improvements in hand decontamination and the use of personal protective equipment by staff, the management of contaminated mop heads and the management of blood spillages.

The health authority is also required to ensure correct cleaning methods are employed, that theatre equipment is cleaned following each use and that all damaged equipment is replaced.

In its report published on Monday, the HEI states: “We saw numerous examples where staff were not using the correct dilution strength of chlorine-releasing disinfectant and detergent for cleaning blood and body fluid spillages.

“We observed that the method used to mop the floor was not consistent and resulted in blood being smeared around a greater area than was originally contaminated. The mop poles used by nursing staff between patients were significantly contaminated with blood and body fluids. We did not observe the mop poles being decontaminated between uses.

“We found that a significant number of items of patient equipment were visibly contaminated with blood, dust and removable marks.

“These included the base of a theatre bed, the underside of a theatre bed, the foot pedals used by surgeons during surgical procedures, an image intensifier and the cover and internal foam of a positioning piece.

“On the second day of our inspection … we continued to observe items of equipment being cleaned between patients or at the end of a case using a process that was incorrect. This resulted in recontamination of some areas of the equipment.”

On the issue of personal protection equipment (PPE), such as gloves, facemasks and aprons, inspectors said staff were “not disposing of these items appropriately”.

The report states: “For example, we saw staff moving from dirty to clean tasks without changing their PPE and without cleaning their hands, and staff walking out of – and returning to – the operating theatre wearing the same PPE.

“We observed that the majority of staff did not take the opportunity to decontaminate their hands between tasks.”

OAP faces sex abuse charges

Seventy-seven-year-old William Wilkinson, of Ladyschaw Drive, made no plea or declaration during a brief private appearance before Sheriff Peter Paterson on Monday.

The offences are alleged to have happened in the Borders between 1990 and 2001.

Wilkinson made no plea or declaration and the case was continued for further examination of the evidence.

He was released on bail meantime.

DRIVER FIVE TIMES LIMIT

A wedding guest who crashed her car into parked vehicles in Peebles was found to be more than five times the drink-drive limit.

Susan Jackson, 45, of Middlesex Gardens, Glasgow, admitted driving a car at Old Town on Saturday with a breath/alcohol reading of 118mcgs – the legal limit being 22.

Jackson, who appeared from custody, had been attending a friend’s wedding at Neidpath Castle prior to the offence.

The first offender, who works as a financial services manager, had booked a room for the night at the Tontine Hotel in Peebles.

“Police received a call at 11.30pm that an ambulance was attending an accident, and found a car had collided with three parked vehicles,” said procurator fiscal Graham Fraser.

Jackson was still in the driver’s seat.

“She was very upset and smelling strongly of alcohol,” added Mr Fraser.

Mr Fraser, who asked Sheriff Peter Paterson to consider forfeiture of Jackson’s £4,500 vehicle, said it was likely to be written off.

Defence solicitor Iain Burke told the sheriff his client had spent two nights in custody, and suffered anxiety and depression.

He said Jackson was unfamiliar with the road and had hit the parked cars.

“It has been a traumatic weekend for her,” he concluded.

Sheriff Paterson said he was not granting forfeiture of the car.

He fined Jackson £500 and banned her from driving for 16 months.

HOMOPHOBIC COMMENTS

A Galashiels man made homophobic comments.

Jarloslaw Strawczynski was sentenced to a 12-month community payback order with 120 hours of unpaid work.

The 52-year-old, of Gala Park Gardens, admitted threatening or abusive behaviour, slamming doors, and making sexually offensive and homophobic comments at Gala Park Gardens on September 13.

He denied assaulting two officers at Galashiels police station on the same date by spitting at them, but was found guilty after trial.

Defence solicitor Mat Patrick told the court: “He does not consider himself an alcoholic, but accepts that when he drinks to excess, it can lead to bad behaviour.

“To that extent, he has a problem with alcohol.”

ASSAULT TO SEVERE INJURY

A drunken man who assaulted another for attacking his sister has been warned he cannot take justice into his own hands.

Joshua Simpson, 23, of Priors Meadow, Jedburgh, appeared on indictment and admitted assaulting a man to his severe injury at Castlegate, Jedburgh, on August 10 last year.

His lawyer, Iain Burke, said: “It was a retaliatory strike, as the complainer had assaulted his sister. He knows is it not for him to administer justice and accepts full responsibility. He had been drinking and that impaired his judgement”.

Sheriff Peter Paterson sentenced Simpson to a 15-month community payback order.

“When people take violence into their own hands, they have to accept the consequences,” he told Simpson, warning him the sentence was a direct alternative to custody.

TEENAGER DAMAGED DOOR

Recklessly damaging a door resulted in Brandon Elliot being sentenced to a 12-month community payback order, with 120 hours of unpaid work.

Elliot, 18, of Laurel Grove, Galashiels, was ordered to do 60 hours of unpaid work after he admitted recklessly damaging a door at Croft Street, Galashiels, on April 4, causing £80 damage.

He received a further 60 hours after he also admitted breaching a 7pm to 7am bail curfew at Melrose Sevens on April 11, when seen sitting on a street bench at 7.40pm.

MOVED CAR ‘FOR A LAUGH’

Sean Sutherland has been fined £260 and banned from driving for 12 months.

The 21-year-old, of Duns Road, Coldstream, was fined £70 after he admitted taking away a car without the owner’s consent at Livingston Place, Galashiels, on June 13. He was fined a further £70 for driving the vehicle without insurance – a charge to which he also pleaded guilty.

Sutherland was fined £120, and banned from driving for 12 months, after he admitted driving the car with a breath/alcohol reading of 37 mcgs – the legal limit being 22.

The court heard how the first offender had been drinking after a football tournament and moved the car “for a laugh”.

Defence solicitor Iain Burke said: “It was a moment of madness. He drove it about 30 metres, as he thought it would be a good idea to hide the car round the corner.”

SPEEDING AT OVER 100MPH

A driver was clocked at 101mph on the A68 at Soutra Hill.

David Hay, 55, of Hyvot Grove, Edinburgh, was fined £350 and his licence endorsed with five penalty points.

He admitted speeding in a 60mph limit near the entrance to Dunlaw wind farm on January 8.

DISQUALIFIED DRIVER FINED

A disqualified driver has been fined £170 and banned from the roads for 12 months.

David Robertson, 25, of Birk View, Galashiels, was fined £100 and disqualified after he admitted driving while disqualified at Manse Street, Galashiels, on June 6.

He was fined a further £70 for using the car without insurance – Robertson also pleaded guilty to this.

COMPENSATION FOR PARTNER

An Eyemouth man who made derogatory remarks about his partner has been ordered to pay her £100 compensation.

Stuart Patterson, of Stebbing Rise, was also fined £150.

The 29-year-old appeared from custody and admitted threatening or abusive behaviour at Killies Green, Eyemouth, on Saturday.

The court heard how Patterson referred to her as “a slut and a slag”.

His lawyer, Mat Patrick, said: “He accepts that the relationship is now over, and is not proud of his behaviour.”

PRODUCED ILLEGAL DRUG

A Walkerburn woman who produced cannabis at her home was sentenced to a 12-month community payback order with 70 hours of unpaid work.

Andrea Stewart, 41, of Peebles Road, admitted committing the offence on September 12 last year.

Defending, Iain Burke said his client had been “self-medicating” for ongoing health problems, adding: “It was not a commercial enterprise. It was to save her money.”

TEENAGE DRINK-DRIVER

A teenage driver was more than twice the alcohol limit.

Rebecca Pringle, 18, of Balmoral Avenue, Galashiels, was fined a total of £240 and banned from driving for 14 months.

She was fined £100 and banned from driving for 14 months after she admitted driving with a breath/alcohol reading of 55mcgs – the legal limit being 22 – at Park Crescent, Newtown St Boswells, on June 13.

Pringle was fined £70 for taking away a car without the owner’s consent, and a further £70 for using it without insurance. She was admonished for using the vehicle without L plates.

Police stopped the vehicle and found Pringle “clearly intoxicated and slurring her words”.

ASSAULTED POLICE OFFICERS

A man who assaulted two police officers has been ordered to pay each £100 compensation.

Joshua Pegg, 35, of Winston Place, Galashiels, admitted head-butting a police officer to his injury and kicking another on the leg at Winston Road, Galashiels, on June 9.

He was admonished on a further charge after he admitted shouting and swearing, and threatening violence on the same day.

Ross Dow, defending, said his client had been binge drinking.

A drunken man who spat at a nurse trying to treat him in Borders General Hospital has been warned his behaviour was “utterly unacceptable”.

First-offender Reece Burton was said to be highly embarrassed by his behaviour.

The 21-year-old, of Riverside Drive, Kelso, admitted threatening or abusive behaviour at the hospital on May 9, struggling with and spitting at staff who were trying to treat him.

“He was found in Kelso, in such a state that he was removed to Borders General Hospital,” explained procurator fiscal Graham Fraser.

“He was very intoxicated, and staff tried to treat him, but he began throwing his arms about.

“He sat up and his head came into contact with one of the staff, and there was a clash of heads,” continued Mr Fraser. At around 1am, Burton calmed down, but by 2.15am he was throwing his arms around and kicking his legs, and started to spit towards staff.

Other staff had to intervene and try to assist their colleagues.

Burton was shouting and swearing, telling nurses to “f**k off”.

The fiscal added: “This went on for about half-an-hour, until police were called and intervened.”

Defence solicitor Stephanie Clinkscale said her client was “highly embarrassed by his behaviour”, adding: “He has little memory as he was heavily intoxicated. He is terrified of needles and that is the only other explanation he can offer for his behaviour.”

Sheriff Peter Paterson deferred sentence for reports until August 3, warning Burton: “Spitting at members of hospital staff is completely and utterly unacceptable, and I am calling for reports to see if there is an alternative to custody.”

A man who tried to photograph people in a supermarket toilet has been placed on the Sex Offenders’ Register, pending sentence on August 17.

Charles Clamp, 20, of Huddersfield Street, Galashiels, admitted the offence at Tesco, on April 24 last year.

A cider thief has been banned from Spar stores in the Borders, and sentence deferred until August 3 for reports.

Daniel Hamilton, 26, of Gala Park, Galashiels, appeared from custody and admitted three charges of stealing cider from Spar shops in Galashiels and Melrose between June 22 and July 3. (More Court News, Pages 24-25)